2016 AFL season forecast: Where will your team finish?

By Connar Olsen / Roar Rookie

With the AFL’s fixtures having been released for 2016, attention moves towards the next season. Having seen each team’s draw, here are the best forecasts for next year.

Ladder

First: West Coast
The Eagles defied the odds last season, and have the highest number of quality players including Josh Kennedy, Matt Priddis, Nic Naitanui and Mark LeCras. They will continue to impress in 2016 as the most defensive side in the league.

Second: Hawthorn
Hawthorn are currently the premier side in the competition with plenty of class and will be aiming to reach their fifth straight grand final and possibly fourth straight premiership.

Third: Fremantle
They are a classy side but not quite in the same league as Hawthorn and West Coast. With the loss of Luke McPharlin, there should still be enough quality to create club history with the gaining of Harley Bennell.

Fourth: Sydney
The Swans will bounce back after a disappointing 2015 finals campaign and will have a similar year to 2014 by playing some good defensive football again. They will have to cope without Lewis Jetta and Adam Goodes, however.

Fifth: Port Adelaide
Another team that has plenty of class and will bounce back in 2016 as well producing a late season surge.

Sixth: North Melbourne
They had a wonderful season in 2015 making history by becoming the first team to advance to the preliminary finals from eighth. North Melbourne will play some great football with the likes of Nick Dal Santo, Jarrad Waite, Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie.

Seventh: Richmond
Richmond played some good defensive football throughout 2015, but were eliminated in Week 1 of finals by North Melbourne. However the same thing did also occur in 2013 against Carlton and also in 2014 against Port Adelaide.

With a wonderful list featuring Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Tyrone Vickery and Jack Riewoldt, there should be enough for the club to break a 15-year finals drought.

Eighth: Collingwood
The Magpies were finals bound mid-season, but suffered an injury crisis towards the end of the year. With players like Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke and Dane Swan, there should still be enough chances to return to the finals after missing the last two.

Ninth: Western Bulldogs
They had a great season in 2015 under new coach Luke Beveridge and there is a lot to like about them. However they will drop off in 2016.

10th: Adelaide
This is another classy and defensive side that includes Eddie Betts and Taylor Walker. The Crows had a wonderful year in 2015 following the death of coach Phil Walsh but I still can’t see them in top eight for next season.

11th: Greater Western Sydney
The Giants were finals bound mid-season before injuries hit key players and they are still not ready to play in the finals.

12th: Geelong
Geelong had a disappointing end to 2015 and will also drop off in 2016. Gaining Patrick Dangerfield is a coup, and adds to the list of midfield class that also includes Joel Selwood and Steven Motlop.

13th: Essendon
It is very hard to place Essendon on the ladder; they will become a rebuilding side for 2016.

14th: Carlton
The Blues had a poor season in 2015 but will climb back up the ladder this year. They are undertaking a slow rebuild under new coach Brendon Bolton who has a brilliant record.

15th: St Kilda
There is a lot to like about the Saints in 2016. They are a rebuilding side who showed signs of improvement during 2015 and they will continue on that path.

16th: Gold Coast
The Suns had a poor season in 2015 and won’t be a real threat in 2016.

17th: Melbourne
Melbourne had an average season in 2015 but will still drop off again. It will be Paul Roos’s final year as coach.

18th: Brisbane
Due to the loss of James Aish, Matthew Leuenberger and Jack Redden, they are certainties for the wooden spoon and are also still a rebuilding side. They will climb back up the ladder soon, but not this year.

Finals

Week 1
Qualifying final 1: West Coast def Sydney
Qualifying final 2: Hawthorn def by Fremantle

Elimination final 1: Port Adelaide def Collingwood
Elimination final 2: North Melbourne def by Richmond

Week 2
Semi-final 1: Sydney def Port Adelaide
Semi-final 2: Hawthorn def Richmond

Week 3
Preliminary final 1: West Coast def Hawthorn
Preliminary final 2: Fremantle def Sydney

Week 4
Grand final: West Coast def by Fremantle

Awards
Brownlow Medal: Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) or Dan Hannebery (Sydney)
Coleman Medal: Josh J Kennedy (West Coast)
Norm Smith Medal: Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)

The Crowd Says:

AUTHOR

2016-01-12T06:44:10+00:00

Connar Olsen

Roar Rookie


Here is a fresh Ladder, Finals awards Prediction List for you: Ladder: 1. West Coast - Great Team with a great list (Including Natanui, Priddis and Kennedy) and is currently the most defensive side in the Comp. 2. Hawthorn - Currently the Premier Side in the Competition and will be aiming for 5th Straight GF and possibly 4 Straight Flags. 3. Fremantle - Classy Side but not quite in the same league as Hawthorn and West Coast, but with the loss of McPharlin and the gaining of Bennell, I can see them creating Club History 4. Sydney - Great Side and will have a similar year to 2013 though without Goodes and Jetta. 5. Port Adelaide - Plenty of Class though being without Ryder and Monfries and also produced a late Season Surge. 6. Western Bulldogs - I think they will produce a follow-up season to 2015. 7. North Melbourne - Has a lot of players that have tasted September success such as Harvey, Petrie, Dal Santo and Waite and has made Preliminary Final 3 Times (In 1997, 2014 and 2015) from Bottom Half of 8. 8. Collingwood - Will not want to miss the Finals 3 Years in a Row after being Finals Bound Mid Season. _________________________________________ 9. Richmond - Can't see them in Top 8 reflecting on their last Three Finals Campaigns and also have not finished in that position on the Ladder for nearly a Decade. 10. Geelong - May have gained Dangerfield but I still can't see them in Top 8. 11. Greater Western Sydney - Were finals bound mid season but suffered injury crisis and still not ready for September action. 12. Adelaide - Has a harder Draw though having a wonderful year following the death of Coach Phil Walsh and will drop off. 13. St Kilda - A lot to like about the Saints as they are currently in rebuilding stages and is also young and upcoming 14. Gold Coast - Had a poor Season 2015 and will finish lower if Ablett misses out on much of season. 15. Melbourne - Had a average season in 2015 and same thing will occur in Season 2016 though young and upcoming as well. 16. Essendon - Will finish Bottom 3 as 34 Past and Present players have faced Suspension for Season 2016. 17. Carlton - Will soon rebuild under a coach who has a wonderful record. 18. Brisbane - Certainties for Wooden Spoon due to the loss of Aish, Leuenberger and Redden, but will soon climb back up the ladder. Finals: W1: QF1: West Coast def Sydney QF2: Hawthorn def by Fremantle (It Hurts to say) EF1: Port Adelaide def Collingwood EF2: Western Bulldogs def by North Melbourne W2: SF1: Sydney def Port Adelaide SF2: Hawthorn def North Melbourne W3: PF1: West Coast def Hawthorn (It hurts to say as well) PF2: Fremantle def Sydney W4: GF: West Coast def by Fremantle Awards: Brownlow Medal: Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) or Dan Hanneberry (Sydney) Coleman Medal: Josh J Kennedy (West Coast) Norm Smith Medal: Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)

2015-11-26T09:20:40+00:00

Peppsy

Roar Guru


Hawks

AUTHOR

2015-11-26T07:56:37+00:00

Connar Olsen

Roar Rookie


Who do you follow?

2015-11-25T03:46:43+00:00

Peppsy

Roar Guru


I see most of your points, but honestly suggesting Hawthorn will lose to Fremantle at the MCG in the first round seems a little ridiculous to me.

2015-11-23T22:39:58+00:00

Pep

Guest


Dees to win betwen 9-11 games.

2015-11-21T05:58:13+00:00

Macca

Guest


Dalgety - didn't think so? So you voluntarily joined a conversation and repeatedly posted comments into that conversation that you knew was disingenuous? Way to spend your free time! Do you also go around picking up stuff you know is extremely hot?

2015-11-21T05:24:30+00:00

jax

Guest


Many were calling WC FTB's till at the least the half-way mark of the season, that's your first mistake Rossco but it isn't the last. Pretty much every word you said should be dismissed as nonsense.

2015-11-21T05:16:33+00:00

jax

Guest


You wish.

2015-11-21T05:14:25+00:00

jax

Guest


The web was born out of necessity due to the Ezy and Brown injuries. All season long Simmo said that the web wasn't ideal and that if he had some options down back he wouldn't have been so web centric. Sure, others will do some work on the web over the summer but WC won't use it exclusively anyway, they'll evolve to a new level. It's up to others to try and keep up with them now.

2015-11-21T04:48:59+00:00

Dalgety Carrington

Roar Guru


I didn't think so. Classic Macca! lol

2015-11-21T00:57:38+00:00

mattyb

Guest


Harrison Ford was originally born in 1942.Shakespeare considered releasing his masterpiece on this date,but after much deliberation,concluded that the role of Iago would be more suited to that of an adult.

2015-11-21T00:42:38+00:00

Macca

Guest


Don - if I was to restrict my to insults on topics you had some idea about all I would be left with is your dodgy knees. Dalgety - this discussion started with me posing a question to Don, you chose to weigh in, you chose to keep posting after you cam to the belief (incorrectly) that I was being disingenuous and you chose to make your last 3 posts about if I was actually being a devils advocate (as if I could actually prove that) to you, I didn't force you to do any of I, it was entirely your choice. From here you can either stop posting, start discussing the specific improvements you see in Freo and how they will be enough to keep them in front of teams that have recruited very well, have easier draws and have younger lists or you can continue to focus on the fluff - your choice I am having fun either way. Chester - " When one is completely and utterly owned they do tend to move onto hysteria" so who owns you?

2015-11-20T22:50:30+00:00

mattyb

Guest


When one is completely and utterly owned they do tend to move onto hysteria.I do suppose that after that obviously fails a foreign dialect could be your next point of call. You could also run off to Col and dob to have your 'big boy' status reaffirmed.

2015-11-20T15:01:48+00:00

Dalgety Carrington

Roar Guru


Whoever they are, I'm not sure any marginally obscure quotes, or whatever that is, will win him the points he’s hoping for. The thing getting that one point clear Macca (re: devil’s advocate), is more about seeing whether you’ve the capacity to be honest about what you’re up to, not least of all with yourself. From all available evidence it's pretty obvious that you’re not going to approach this with an open mind, and rather your mind is well and truly set in stone. The past suggests it's not a proper discussion about Freo you're interested in, but rather an attempt at a chance to look “clever”. It does bring to mind a “discussion” we had last year, which is illustrative of so many with you, about the merits of a review into helmet design following Phil Hughes’ death. Now you flapped about, featuring your usual snap-grab approach, with attempts to mock, misframe, set up straw men, exaggerate what I’d said and basically bring into play whatever strategy you thought would score points and “win” (what and why I’m not sure). But low and behold what happened was exactly the opposite of your arguing. Namely, there was a review, it was a common sense low key inquiry involving helmet manufacturers, and our world continued on as normal with minimal affect. And after all that it was a pretty uninspired and pointless exercise all up. So yeah, answering that issue is key before continuing.

2015-11-20T13:07:30+00:00

Don Freo

Guest


It kind of like a little amusement park in his head. You seem to get the cultural reference, Matty. I've got no idea who Sol or Chester or Vinny are. It's a bit like insulting someone in a foreign dialect.

2015-11-20T11:39:20+00:00

Macca

Guest


Sol: He's a natural, ain't you Tyrone? Tyrone: 'course I am... [reverses into parked van] Vinny: A natural f.....g 1d10t

2015-11-20T09:07:10+00:00

mattyb

Guest


That's all good and well Mecca but I stand by my original comment.All your hysterical,insult filled ramblings have done is show motive for your actions. You perceive yourself as a 'big boy' in the comments section on this site.You pay careful attention to how many times your name appears and enjoy quantity over quality. The Fremantle supporters constant ownership of you has left you feeling threatened hence your desperate attempt to engage them in an attempt to regain some of your self perceived status.You chose a poor entry point in Henry through desperation which led to you being owned again.With your self proclaimed 'big boy' status further diminished you became hysterical at yet another failure. I'm sure you will have the final insult fuelled word Mecca but until you can gain the same genuine passion and knowledge as the freo family they are going to own you every time.

2015-11-19T22:09:27+00:00

Macca

Guest


Classic Spike & Chester. That said with the addition of Dalgety mayber the following is more appropriate - mattyb is clearly Tyrone, I would say Dalgety is Sol (the brains of the outfit) and That leaves Don as Vinny. [HD] Snatch: Replica vs Desert Eagle .50 - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR5jufwSqm8 Dalgety- I find it hilarious you don't want to get stuck in "another grinding-circular-Macca-leaping-all-about-the-place-to-try-and-score-points-grind" about Freo but are about whether I am a devils advocate!! On a brighter note I have found Freo's new game plan - the Goodie episode whereTim was rebuilt into Winston Churchill and played soccer against the Germans - obviously Fyfe will replace Churchill.

2015-11-19T09:23:53+00:00

mattyb

Guest


Working out what he wants seems to be a lot easier than explaining it to him apparently.His conversations do remind me an awful lot of Jupiter's orbit.

2015-11-19T09:08:34+00:00

Don Freo

Guest


??? We shouldn't tease. Have you worked out what he wanted clarified?

More Comments on The Roar

Read more at The Roar